Gun-training apparatus



April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS' 12 ShetS-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 23, .1943

Inventor: Thomas H. Swisher,

H is Attorney.

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER 2,398,313-

GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvehtor":Thomas, H. Swishar,

His A-ttorneg.

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER 2,398,813

' GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi .5.Z6 F4 2/ e. o ,H H:

Thomas H. Swisher",

His Attorneg.

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23,1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 inventor: Thomas H. Swisher,

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER 2,398,813

GUN-TRAINING APPAR TUS Filed Sept. 35, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inve aThomas H. S

5 His At April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS 12Sheets-Sheet '6 Filed Sept. 23, 1943 H is Attorneg.

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER I GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet 7Filed Sept. 25, 1943 VA AWAW \nven'tor Thomas H. Swisher;

H\s Attorney.

April 23,1946. T. H. SWISHER 2,398,813

- GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS v Filed Sept. 23, 1945 12 Sheets-$heet 8 ill'l.

\nveh'tor: Thomas H. Swisher,

His Attorne5.i

April 23, 1946. T. H. SWISHER GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25,1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Inventor:

H e. h P Ov t t A s H n e h .5 w 5 H 5 a. m o h 4b6 onm April 23, 1946.T. H. SWISHER GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1943 12Sheets-Sheet l0 mm M w W .L l

Inventor: 1 Thomas H. Swisher",

His Attohneg.

GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2a, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 II ITIllllllllllllllllli lnvent oh: Thomas H-5wisheT? His A-ttorneg.

Patented Apr. 23, 1946 GUN-TRAINING APPARATUS Thomas H. Swisher,Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Edison General Electric Appliance Company,Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of New York Application September 23,1943, Serial No. 503,544

7 Claims.

This invention relates to gun-training apparatus, more particularly toapparatus for training personnel to fire actual automatic machine gunsunder conditions simulating actual fire and battle conditions, and ithas for its object the provision of improved apparatus of thischaracter.

More specifically, this invention relates to guntraining apparatus whichwill teach gunners the correct sighting-lead to hit moving objects suchas airplanes, tanks, and other targets, to teach basic projectilecharacteristics such as tracer shooting, cut-back, trajectory, etc., andto enable the trainee to thoroughly understand the mechanics of a streamof bullets hitting an airplane or other moving target; and to simulateas near as possible actual battle conditions which cause nervous strainand fatigue such as noise distractions, muzzle blasts, recoil and otherfactors, all indoors at scale range without the expenditure of liveammunition.

In accordance with this invention a fluid-perated training gun isprovided which will project pellets either visibly or invisibly, oneafter the other in a stream.

The gun comprises an improved organization of parts which introduces aspherical pellet into the gun barrel, holds it from rolling therein,then releases it, and just after the instant of release quickly admitsair under pressure for projecting it from the barrel. These acts arecoordinated so that the round pellets do not roll in the barrel, areprojected in a straight line without rotation through the barrel, andare forced from it Without imparting to it any rotary motion or sidedefiection, whereby the pellet is caused to fly in a true scaletrajectory of a real bullet.

In addition, the organization includes means for imparting to the handleof the gun a vibratory motion synchronized with the firing of thepellets so that recoil of an actual gun is simulated.

The timing of the firing and recoil is controlled by suitable timingmechanism, but all is under the master control of a trigger which isshaped and positioned just as is the real trigger of an automatic gunshaped and positioned.

Furthermore, the organization includes a loud speaker which generatesgun muzzle blast noise, this mechanism also being controlled by thetimer to give the gun noises at the proper timesand the mechanism alsobeing under the master control of the trigger.

Also the system of control includes means for selectively rendering thevarious operating mechanisms operable or inoperable at will. This is sothat a beginner trainee can begin'his training gradually. Gun shyness orfear caused by. firing a real gun for the first time can be eliminatedor greatly reduced. Beginners can be started with pellet firing only,then with recoil, gun sound, and battle sound added, one at a time.

In addition, the system is adapted to night firing by using pellets andtarget formed of or coated with suitable materials to cause them tofluoresce in an ultraviolet light field so that the pellets and targetonly are visible while all else is dark, thereby giving a realisticsimulation of night firing. An ultraviolet lamp is movable with the gunso as to project its light onto the point of impact of the pelletsagainst the target.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating various elements of this apparatus including anelectrically controlled pneumatic gun, and noise producing apparatus andcontrol elements; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a targetsystem used with this apparatus; Fig. 3 is an elevation illustratingtarget moving means in detail; Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustratingtrolley mechanism for the target; Fig. 5 is an elevation illustratingmounting means for a different type target; Fig. 6 is a perspective viewillustrating mounting means for the target shown in Fig. 5; Fig. '7 isan elevation, partly in section, illustrating theelectrically controlledpneumatic gun of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of aportion of this pneumatic gun; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation insection through a, portion of the pneumatic gun; Fig. 10 is a plan viewof the portion of the gun shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an enlargedfragmentary elevation view, mainly in section, of that portion of thepneumatic gun shown in Fig. 9,. but with operative parts in anotherposition; Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken through the line l2--l2 ofFig. 11 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 13 is a,perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 11, partsbeing shown in section so as to illustrate certain details ofconstruction; Fig. 14 is a perspective View illustrating parts of theapparatus shown in Fig. 11 Fig. 15' is an enlarged sectional 'view takenthrough the line l5|5 of Fig. '7 and looking in the direction of thearrows; Fig. 16 is an elevation of a portion at the muzzleend of thepneumatic gun, the view being shown mainly in section; Fig. 17 is anelevation view looking at Fig. 16 from the righthand side; Fig. 18 is anelevation, partly in section, illustrating certain loading mechanismused with the gun; Fig. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view illustratingthe loading apparatus of Fig. 18

applied to the pneumatic gun; Figs. 20 and 21' are elevations, thelatter figure being mainly in section, illustrating further elements ofthe loading mechanism; Fig. 22 is an elevation, mainly in section,illustrating details of construction of the trigger end of the pneumaticgun; Fig. 23 is a top plan view of the elements shown in Fig. 22, partsbeing broken away so as to illustrate certain details of construction;Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating certain timing controlmechanism used in controlling the pneumatic gun and sound producingmechanism; Fig. '25 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 24, a part being removed so as to illustratecertain details of construction; Figs. 26 and 27 are elevation views ofcertain switching mechanism used in the timing apparatusof Figs. 24 and25; and Fig.28 is a diagrammatic representation'of elements of the guntiming circuit and sound producing equipment, and control meanstherefor.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, this apparatus comprisesan electrically-controlled air-operated gun It which is mounted upon atripod H and cradle Ila for movement bracket 36.

of the target is drawn. This target has a supporting bracket 33 similarto the bracket 29, and it is secured. to its carriage 34 in a similarway. Here, however, the target 32 is secured to its bracket 33 by meansof a spring clip 35 having the shape of the conventional paper clip andwhich in turn is secured to the supportin The pellets are given thespherical form to provide ease in handling, and their diameter has beenchosen so that their visibility on the miniature range is similar to thevisibility of real tracer bullets.

The plastic pellets, which have approximately only one-sixth the weightof steel balls of the same size, for example, are slowed down more byair resistance than steel balls. The time of flight of the plasticpellets is thus greater than for steel pellets having the same muzzlevelocity. The lightweight feature of the plastic pellets is therefore animportant factor in duplicating the time of flight of real bullets.

The time of flight of the pellets is adjustable by adjusting theshooting air pressure by means of pressure regulator Ilia, Fig. 1, whichhas an adjustment knob l5b. The time of flight of the pellets from thegun to the target can therefore in azimuth and elevation, the pointingof the gun being controlled by 'means of handles i2. "The gun issupplied by air from an 'air compressor unit l3 having a motor drivencompressor M, a storage tank l5 and a pressure regulator 15a. Also,

as shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a 19, shown in Fig. 2.Placed back of the target [9 will be a screen 26. The screen '20 mayhave a contrasting color to the pellets so that they may be used astracers, or it may have the color the same as the pellets so that thepellets may be invisible when the gun is aimed by sights.

The target i9 is mounted upon anyone of a series of trolley wires 2 l.,and it is driven by means of towcords and pulley systems 22; the trolleyand pulley systems are shown in detail in Fig. 3. Here it will beobserved that the trolley wire 2| is suspended between pulley brackets23, the righthand end being anchored to the right-hand pulley bracketwhile the left-hand end is attached to the left-hand pulley bracketthrough a turnbuckle 2 4. the opposite endsof the trolley wire 2|. Asshown in Fig. 4, the opposite ends of the tow cord 22 are anchored tothe target carriage 26, while the remainder of its length passes overthe pulleys and a towing reel '21 having a suitable driving crank 28. Inthis way it will be understood that when the crank 28 is rotated, it'will'operate the tow cord to cause the carriage 26 to move back andforth on the trolley 'wire. The target ['9 is Bumper springs 25 aremounted on metal background sheet '32 upon which the image be madesubstantially the same as the time of flight of a real bullet from a gunto a target. The training range and targets are scaled down to reproducein miniature what will be encountered in actual battle. A convenientreduction has'been found to be one to thirty. Fifty feet on the trainingrange would then equal five hundred yards in actual battle. -A modelairplane target with a one-foot wing span would represent a realairplane with a thirty-foot wing span.

The speed of the targets can be made proportional to the speed of a realairplane. By properly coordinating the range, size and speed of theairplane targets, with the time of flight of the pellets, the angle ofsighting lead is substantially the same as will be encountered in realbattle. This is true either with tracer-control aiming, or when aimingby calibrated ring-andbead, or reflector sights, as used in aerialwarfare.

Referring to Fig. 7, the pneumatic gun It comprises a barrel 37, apellet charging and firing mechanism 38, and a recoil mechanism 33.Surrounding the barrel 3? is a large cylindrical casing '40 which at itsrear is supported by a relatively massive cylinder 41, and the front endof which projects beyond the muzzle of the gun barrel, as shown.Extending rearwardly from the relatively massive cylinder M are a pairof side plates 42 and 43 which are shown more clearly in Figs. 8 and 10and which at their forward ends are secured to a pair of parallelextensions 44 and 45 provided on the supporting cylinder M. At theirrear ends they are secured together by a U- shaped end plate 46 shownmore clearly in Figs. 22 and 23. The two plates 42 and 43 are covered athe t pb ed cover 41.

Q'I'he large cylinder '40, the side plates 42 and 43, and the covergive'thegun the size and shape of the actual gun that it is wished toaccustom the trainee to. In the specific example shown this is aBrowning machine gun, caliber .50, watercooled.

The elements just'referred to are mounted upon the 'ch-anne -shapedsupporting cradle I-la; as

shown, the cylindrical casing 41 is rigidly secured to the forward upperedges of the side walls of this member, 'whil'ethe side plates 42 and 43are secured to a cross plate 49 at the rear of this member. The two sidewalls of this member are pivotally mounted upon a yoke 50 so that thegun can be moved in elevation. The yoke 50 in turn is provided with adepending cylinder (Fig. '7) which cylinder is received in the tripodpedestal ii so that the gun can be moved in azimuth. The cradle Ha canbe locked tothe yoke to hold the gun in its adjusted position inelevation by a lock having a handle 52 which has an extension projectingthrough an arcuate slot 53 in one of the side plates of the member 48,and which when turned forces a locking nut (not shown) against this sideplate to hold it from moving. The details of construction of thislocking mechanism have not been further illustrated because they form nopart of the present invention.

The muzzle end of the gun barrel is stabilized by means of a Y-shapedbracket 54 which is shown more clearly in Fig. 15. This bracket as shownis provided with an enlargement 56a through which the gun barrel 3?projects. The extremities of the legs of the bracket are rigidly securedto the cylinder 40, as shown.

The pellets 54b which are fed to the gun are supplied from a magazine 55which is in the form of an elongated tube extending from the veryforward end of the cylinder to back to the loading and firing mechanism38 above the barrel 3?, as shown. At its forward end this magazine 55 issupported by means of a plug 56 inserted in the muzzle end of the casing69. It will be observed that the plug is provided with a central bore 51through which the pellets fired from the gun barrel may pass.

As shown in Fig. 9, the rear of the magazine tube 55 enters a block 58which has an arcuate passageway 59 therein and which passageway feedsthe pellets to a feed opening 60 in the upper wall of the gun barrel3'5.

The block 58 is supported upon a piston block 6| which as shownsurrounds the'rear end of the gun barrel 3? and which has an opening 62through which the pellets may pass to the gun barrel opening 68.

When a pellet has been supplied to the barrel, it is held in positionready for shooting by a holding means comprisin a pair of pin-likeplungers 63 and 65 which are spaced apart lengthwise of the barre1 underthe opening 60 so that when a pellet is fed into the barrel theprojecting pins prevent it from rolling out of the barrel. These pinsare biased upwardly to their holding positions by means of a plate 65which is shown more clearly in Fig. 14. At its rear this plate isclamped to the bottom side of the piston block (H by means of a block56, and its forward end is biased upwardly by means of a compressionspring 67 mounted upon a stud 68 which is directed through an opening 68provided for it in the outer end of the plate 65. The plunger 63 bearsdirectly on the upper surface of the plate 65, while the plunger 64 atits lower end has a reduced section 10 which is received in a, key-slotH provided for it in the plate 65 for a purpose to be presentlydescribed.

As has been pointed out previously, the pellets are projected by meansof air under pressure. But prior to the time the air is admitted to theback of the pellet it is mechanically released from the plungers 63 and'64. For this, and other purposes, a piston 12 slides within the pistonblock 6|. It is biased to its retracted position toward the left, asviewed in Figs. 9 and'll, by means of a compression spring 13 having oneend bearing on the rear wall of the piston block 6! and its other endbearing on a collar 14' secured to the rear end of the piston. Thepiston is forced forwardly to move the pellet from its holding means bymeans of an electromagnet 15 (Figs. '7, 8, 22, and 23), the armature ofwhich magnet is connected to the piston by a link 16. This magnet isrigidly clamped between the two side plates 42 and 43 by means of bolts16a.

In order that a pellet be started in its forward motion without anyrotation being imparted to it, the forward end of the piston 12 isprovided with a sharp circular edge Tl that functions to engage and gripthe pellet to prevent rotation thereof as the piston drives it forwardlyaway from the holding plungers (see Fig. 11). This forward end is alsotapered to depress the holding plungers 63 and 64 as it moves forwardly.Thus when the piston moves forwardly, its forward end first engages theleft-hand pin 63 and depresses it. This pin when it is depressed movesthe plate 55 downwardly, which operation also depresses the pin 64 whichis connected to the plate through the key slot ll. Then the piston inits forward movement engages the pellet and pushes it forwardly, freefrom any impediment.

At this time, the air pressure is admitted back of the pellet to projectit from the gun barrel. The air pressure supplied by the air compressingunit I3 is fed to the gun through a flexible tube 78 and into a valvechamber is formed in a valve housing 19a. The flow of air through thischamber is controlled by means of a valve Bil which coacts with a valveseat 8| that is mounted on the forward part of the plug 82 in which thevalve stem 83 is mounted to move. The valve 88 is biased toward the seatby a spring 84; and is moved to its open position by the forwardmovement of the piston 12 through the collar 14, which as shown carriesan abutment 85 in the form of a bolt threaded in the collar andpositioned to engage the valve operating plunger 83 to open the valvewhen the piston moves to release the pellet. The air flowing through theseat 81 enters the plug 82 and flows outwardly therefrom in radialdirections through a series of openings 86 into a pair of passageways8'! in the piston block 6|, and thence flows through passageways 88 inthe piston 72 into a central passageway 89 thereof, which passagewaydirects the air directly back of the spherical pellet.

It will be observed that when the plunger 12 moves forwardly to releasethe pellet, it shuts oif the opening 60 so that this opening is blockedoff, preventing the admission of an additional pellet.

Therefore, the piston 12 functions to release the pellet 54b, to hold itagainst rotation immediately after it has been released, to shut off thesupply of pellets, and to control the admission of air to the barrelback of the pellet, all during its forward stroke. In this way the fullimpact of the air pressure is applied instantly to the pellet at thetime it is released, and the pellet is forced forwardly in a straightline without rotating. On its return stroke the piston permits the fluidsupply valve to reclose. uncovers the feed hole 60, and releases theholding plungers 63 and 64, whereby another pellet is supplied to thebarrel from the magazine.

As has been pointed out above, the pellet is forced through the barrelwith a straight line motion and without rotation. To insure that thepellet continues to move in this fashion after it leaves the gun barrel,the muzzle end 31a is flared outwardly in a funnel-like shape, asclearly shown in Fig. 11. When a round pellet is shot out of a roundopening by compressed air it is apt to be deflected sideways, rotated,or both, due to blow-by of air. The flared end relieves the air pressuregradually thereby substantially eliminating the blow-by effect.

A continuous air pressure is applied to the column of pellets 54b in themagazine tube 55, and for this purpose an air tube 99 is connected tothe supply conduit 18 and to the forward end of the magazine, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 16. This air pressure applies a continuous pressureto the column of pellets so that when the piston I2 is retracted anotherpellet will be instantly fed in the gun barrel. For purposes of economy,this air pressure is reduced by orifice 54 to a minimum value suflicientfor the above operation. At the gun barrel terminal end of the magazinefeed there is a feed air bleeder hole 991).

The forward end of the magazine tube 55 is closed by a screw plug 9!,which is threaded in an end fitting 9Ia for the tube, so that when themagazine is empty it may be refilled. through its forward end. In orderto conveniently refill the magazine tube 55, a loading tube 92 (Figs.18, .19, and 20) is provided. This tube at its right-hand end, as viewedin Fig. 18,, is closed by a plug 93, and operable from this .end thereis a loading bolt 94 which has an operating pin 95 extending from thetube through an elongated slot 96 .extending from end to end of thetube, whereby when the bolt is forced toward the left the pellets willbe driven from the tube. In order to prevent accidental loss of thepellets from the loading tube, it is provided at its left-hand end, asviewed in Fig. 18, with holding means comprising a collar 91 secured tothis end of the tube and which supports a latch 98. The latch has aholding surface 99 which when the latch is in its position shown in Fig.13 restricts the passageway through the collar 9'! and preventsdischarge of the pellets. The latch is biased to this position by meansof a spring I90.

The collar 9'! has a recess I'ilI in its outer end which is arranged tobe fitted to the magazine fitting em, as shown in Fig. 19, once thescrew plug 9| has been removed. The latch 99 is provided with aninclined surface I 92 which is engaged by the outer end of the magazinetube fitting 9Ia when the loading tube is applied, as shown in Fig. 19,so as to be moved to a releasing position, whereby the bolt 94 can beoperated to force the pellets into the magazine tube 55. When themagazine tube 55 has been loaded, the loading tube will of course beremoved, and the plug 9I replaced.

The loading tube 55 itself is loaded from a hopper I93 (Figs. 20 and 21)which discharges through a lower nozzle 194. This nozzle is formed in amanner similar to the construction of the collar 97 of the loading tubein that here also there is provided a latch I95, spring pressed to alatching position, to prevent loss of the pellets. This member, however,has a reduced extension I06 which is received in the recess IEH of theloading tube when the loading tube is applied, as shown in Fig. 29. Whenit is thus applied, the collar 97 engages an inclined surface I9! on alatch I95 to move it to its releasing position to permit the pellets ,toflow down into the loading tube. The hopper is provided with a stirringrod I08 to stir the pellets to facilitate their flow from the hopper.

, application.

As was pointed out previously, the gun further comprises a recoilmechanism 39 shown in Figs. 7, 8, 22, 23. This recoil mechanism is forthe purpose of violently vibrating the gun handles I2 so that thetrainee gets th effect of actual gun recoil. The gun handles I2 aremounted directly upon a bracket III], and the handles and bracket arenot rigidly attached to the rest of the gun, but are relatively movablewith relation to the gun in the direction of the axis of the gun barrel.Secured to the bracket III] is a plunger II I, which plunger operateswithin a cylinder H2. Th cylinder I I2 is rigidly secured to the gunframe end plate 46 previously referred to. Interposed between a shoulderI I3 on the plunger III and. a shoulder II 4 on the cylinder II 2 is arelatively strong compression spring II5, which spring forces thehandles forwardly. The movement of the handles forwardly is limited bythe arms I I6 of a reenforcing plate I I l for the handle bracket H0,and which abut against the structure II 8; this structure, as will bepointed out hereinafter, constitutes an electromagnet for operating therecoil mechanism. The recoil mechanism further comprises an anvil II9formed on the plunger III, and a cooperating hammer I20, the hammernormally being biased away from the anvil and against the armature I22of the electromagnet II8 by means of a relatively light compressionspring I2I. When the electromagnet H8 is energized, its armature I22 andthe hammer I20 move freely against the spring I2I for some distance,thereby building up momentum. The hammer I26 is thus made to violentlystrike the anvil H9 with a force much greater than the direct thrust ofthe armature alone at this point. From this point on, the armature I22,the hammer I20, the spring I2I and the handle bracket assembly H0 and .II! all move rearward together, against the force of the spring H5. Theenergy of momentum of the armature and hammer, plus the direct thrust ofthe electromagnet are thereby transmitted directly to the handles I2,causing them to be pushed rearward in a quick motion. When the magnet isdeenergized, the spring II5 returns the handles to their forwardposition. In this way, when the magnet is alternately energized anddeenergized the handles I2 are violently vibrated so as to simulate therecoil effect of an actual machine gun. V

The electromagnet H8 is mounted between the side plates 42 and 43 and issecured by bolts I23, as shown.

As pointed out previously, the loud speakers I6 and I! are provided forsupplying gun blast sound and battle sound respectively. The battlesound is generated by suitable records which are operated by a suitableturntable and associated driving mechanism, and amplifier, which will bemounted within the control section I8. The tone arm I23a is showndiagrammatically in Fig. 28. The speaker I! also is indicateddiagrammatically in Fig. 28, and its power comes from an alter natingcurrent source of supply I24. As indicated in Fig. 28, a suitableamplifier I25 will be supplied for speaker 11.

The gun blast sound speaker I6 also is illustrated diagrammatically inFig. 28, its field coil I26 also being supplied from the source I24through a network I21. The voice coil I28 of this speaker is controlledin timed relation with .the operation of the two electromagnets I andH8, and these in turn are controlled in timed relation to each other bymeans of a timing mechanism I29. This mechanism comprises a constantspeed motor I driving three controlling contact mechanisms I3 I, I32,and I33, which control respectively the energization of the gun soundcoil I23, the recoil electromagnet H8, and the firing electromagnet 15.

The timing mechanism is shown in detail in Figs. 24 to 2'7 inclusivewherein the timing motor I30 drives a shaft I34 which through gearingI35 drives a shaft I36 and through gearing I38 drives a shaft I33; theshaft I36 is a high speed shaft while the shaft I39 is a relatively lowspeed shaft. The shaft I36 operates the recoil and gun sound contactmechanisms I32 and I3I respectively, while the shaft I39 operates thefiring contact mechanism I33. The firing and gun sound contactmechanisms are identical, except for on period of the cams, and one-thatfor firingis shown-in Fig. 26. Here the two contacts of the switch I33are shown, one being fixed and the other being mounted on a movable armI40 which is biased by spring I4I to close the contacts. They areoperated to the open position periodically by a cam I42 driven by theshaft I39 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 25. Therecoil contact mechanism is the same, except that it is constructed fora cam operating in a clockwise direction, and this mechanism is shown inFig, 27.

The timing mechanism controls the firing, recoil, and muzzle blast soundmechanisms through three manually operable switches I43, I44, and I45respectively so that these mechanisms can be operated altogether or oneat a time. In addition, a separate switch I451; is provided for manuallycontrolling the operation of the battle sound mechanism. And the firing,recoil and muzzle blast sound mechanisms all are under the control of amaster switch I46 which is a trigger switch and which is shown in detailin Figs. 8, 22 and 23. As there shown, it comprises a fixed contact I41and a movable contact I43; the movable contact I43 is biased upwardly toclose the contact I41, but is held in its open position by means of atrigger I43. The trigger a I 43 is pivotally mounted to the end plate 46and, by means of a spring I50, is biased in the clockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 22. This trigger, in size, shape, and position, isidentically the same as the actual trigger of the aforesaid Browningmachine gun.

The control system (Fig. 28) further comprises a main switch I5IIa whichis used to control the energization and deenergization of the entiresystem, and in addition there is a pilot light I5l which is lightedwhenever the switch I5Ila is closed.

In the operation of this control system, if the main switch I 53a beclosed as well as the switches I43, I44, and I45, the timing motor I30will be energized to continuously operate the switches I3I, I32, andI33. However, these switches cannot eifect any controlling actions onthe firing, recoil, and gun sound mechanisms until the trigger I49 isdepressed to close the switch I46. When the trigger is depressed,circuits will be completed to the firing magnet I5, the recoil magnetH8, and the voice coil I28, and they will thereafter be deenergized andreenergized on a timed basis as determined by the timing mechanism; Itis contemplated that the recoil and gun sound mechanisms. will beoperated at the samenumber of times per minute that a Browning machinegun fires, for example, six hundred times. It is further contemplatedthat the firing mechanism will be operated only the number of times thatthe actual tracer bullets would be fired; for example, it may beoperated onehundred twenty times, which wouldbe equivalent to one tracerin every five shots. By changing the gearing I38 the equivalent of onetracer for everytwo, three or four shots may be fired.

. The battle sound mechanism is not under the control of the triggerI43, but is under the control of the switch I 45aonly so that the battlesound noises can be continuously generated, if desired.

For night firing it is contemplated to use a pellet and target whichwill fiuoresce in an untraviolet light field, and for this purpose anultraviolet lamp I52 is mounted upon the machine gun II}, as shown inFig. 1. This lamp is of the reflector type and it projects-its light tothe point of impact of the pellets against the target. The lamp isindicated diagrammatically in Fig. 28., and it also is fed from thesource I24. This lam is controlled by a switch I53.

In operation: It will be understood that the target will be suspended ona trolley located at the proper scale distance from the gun, and thatthe target will be moved at the proper scale speed with reference to thespeed of the real target.

The gun may then be operated with or without recoil, with or withoutbattle sound, and with or without gun muzzle blast sound; or it may beoperated with recoil and both battle and muzzle blast sound. Theswitches I43, I44, and I45 will be preset and the battle sound mechanismoperated or not, as desired, after the main switch I53 has been closed.

The actual firing will be controlled by the trigger, as described.

For teaching tracer-control firing, white pellets are used against adark background. The visibility is independent of the rate of fire; thatis, the pellets are equally visible whether being fired single-shot, orany rate up to the maximum.

If it is desired to teach the trainees to shoot .by aiming with sights,as distinguished from terial is used. Also a fluorescent target, whichmay be formed of a metal painted with fluorescent paint, will be used.The pellets glow red, giving a tracer efi'ect.

Certain broad features of apparatus and method here disclosed fortraining personnel in the art of firing real automatic machine guns andcomprising a gun for projecting pellets at a target, the pelletssimulating live ammunition fired by the real gun, together with soundproducing mechanism for generating sound simulating actual gun muzzleblasts and for producing actual battle sound background noises; forprojecting the pellets through a relatively short range as compared withthe combat range of the live bullets projected from said known gun andwith such force that the time of flight of the pellets approximates thatof the live bullets, together with a target scaled down in size in apredetermined ratio to that of an actual known target, the ratiocorresponding to the ratio of the pellet range to that of the combatrange of the live bullets; and the pellets formed of a material visibleto the trainee throughout their trajectory, are not my invention, butform the subject matter of the copending application of Stanley E. Rice,Serial No. 504,491, filed September 30, 1943, and which was assigned tothe assignee of the instant application.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by. theappended claims to cover any such modifications as fallwithin the truespirit and scope of, my invention.

What Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a training gun which simulates an actual automatic machine gun, agun frame, a handle, means for mounting said handle on said frameproviding for limited relative movement between them in the direction ofthe gun bore, a spring between said handle and frame resisting saidrelative movement, a cooperating hammer and anvil on said handle andframe, and means for periodically moving said hammer and anvil togetherto move said handle relative to said frame against the force of saidspring.

2. In a training gun which simulates an actual automatic machine gun, agun barrel, a gun frame for said barrel, a handle, means attaching saidhandle to said frame providing for limited relative movement betweenthem 'in the direction of the axis of the gun barrel, a spring forcingsaid handleforward in the direction of said gun barrel, an anvil fixedto said handle, a hammer mounted on said frame for movement intoengagement with said anvil, a spring on saidanvil forcing said hammeraway therefrom, an electromagnet for forcing said'hammer into engagementwith said anvil, and means for' periodically ener-' gizing saidelecti'omag net in order to cause said hammer to periodically engagesaid anvil in order to vibrate said handle to simulate the recoil of theactual gun.

3. Fluid pressure gun-training apparatus'comprising a gun for projectingpellets by means of fluid pressure, a pellet-feeding device'fordelivering a pellet to said gun and fluid pressure thereto to projectsaidpellet from the gun, a recoil mechanism including a handle and meansfor moving said handle with reference to said gun for giving the effectsof gun recoil to the hand of the oper- SOlJlIld.

ator, sound-producing means'for simulating the muzzle blast sound of anactual gun, and time element control means for synchronously controllingthe operation of said firing device, said recoil mechanism and saidmeans for producing 4. A training gun comprising an electrorespon siveprojecting mechanism for projecting a pellet simulating live ammunition,an electroresponsive recoil mechanism for imparting to the handle of theoperator the recoil effects of an actual gun, an electroresponsivesound-producing mechanism simulating muzzle blast sound of an actualgun, and time element mechanism for controlling the operation of saidvarious electroresponsive mech-v anisms so that they operate in apredetermined cycle.

5. A training gun comprising an electroresponsive projecting mechanismfor projecting a pellet simulating live ammunition, an electroresponsiverecoil mechanism for impartin to the hands of the operator the recoilefiects of an actual gun, an elect'roresponsive sound-producingmechanism simulating muzzle blast sound of an actual gun, time elementmechanism for synchronously controlling the operation of said variouselectroresponsive mechanisms so that they operate in a predeterminedcycle, and a trigger connected to said mechanisms to function as amaster control therefor.

6. A training gun comprising an electroresponsive projecting mechanismfor projecting a pellet simulating live ammunition, an electroresponsiverecoil mechanism for imparting to the hands of the operator the recoileffects of an actual gun,

an electroresponsive sound-producing mechanism simulating muzzle blastsound of an actual gun, time element mechanism for controlling theoperation of said various electroresponsive mechanisms so that theyoperate in a predetermined cycle, a trigger connected to said mechanismsto function as a master controltherefor, and switching means forrendering said various mechanisms operable or inoperable at will.

7. Gun-training apparatus for training a trainee to fire an actualautomatic machine gun under conditions simulating actual fire and battleconditions comprising a gun for projecting pellets one after the otherin a stream, a target, an ultraviolet reflector lamp attached to the gunand focused on thepoint of impact between the pellets and target, andsaid pellets and target being provided with exterior surfaces whichfiuoresce in the light projected by said lamp THOMAS H. SWISHER.

